Afghanistan play Paper Tom touring to Salford & Buxton

Paper Tom tells the stories of two British soldiers and the challenges they face once the adrenaline of active service has faded.

With British combat troops scheduled to leave Afghanistan in 2014, coinciding with the centenary anniversary of the start of the First World War, Paper Tom uniquely looks at the legacy of both of these wars to British society.

The production parallels the experiences of veterans returning home to their loved ones and the historical impact of Shellshock with the contemporary issues surrounding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Handheld Arts, creators of the play, undertook intensive research into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and on the contentious issues around mental health and the military. In August 2010 members of Handheld Arts accompanied the charity Talking2Minds on a week long residential treatment programme which was held in Falmouth, Cornwall. This provided them with an opportunity to speak with veterans from several conflicts that
were suffering or had suffered from PTSD.

Paper Tom at has been previously performed at the Buxton Fringe 2011, Edinburgh Fringe 2011, and Exeter Fringe 2012 and arrives at the Lowry on 10 November and Buxton Opera House on 17 November.